Cool down with some September snow stats for Denver

Record-tying temperatures hit 97 degrees on Thursday. So far this month, the average high temperature in Denver has been 91.2 degrees — 7.8 degrees above normal.

Still, forecasters had expected a hot September, and it does rank as the fourth-warmest month of the year. So as we prepare to sweat through more 90-degree weather, take solace in September also being the first month of Denver’s official snow season.

Although Denver has not seen snow on the ground in September since 2000 (a whopping 0.2 inches), there have been a few notable September snowfalls that have blanketed the city in the past.

According to the National Weather Service, in the 131 years of record keeping for snowfall, Denver has seen snow 45 times in September — 28 of those storms had measurable totals. Overall, average snowfall for the month is 1.3 inches.

The snowiest September on record in Denver came in 1971 when 17.2 inches of snow fell. Three consecutive days of record-low temperatures on Sept. 17, 18 and 19 brought heavy, wet snow that caused extensive damage to trees and utility lines.

In 1936, Denver saw the greatest 24-hour snowfall ever recorded for the month. According to the NWS’ weather history, 15 inches of snow fell from 6 p.m. on Sept. 27 to 6 p.m. on Sept. 28. Snow totals from the storm reached 16.5 inches in downtown Denver and 21.3 inches at then Denver Municipal Airport. More than 3,000 workmen were called in to clean up downed branches and nearly $7 million in property damages.

The third-heaviest September snow dumped 10.6 inches on Sept. 28, 1959. A NWS summary of the storm said four people “died of heart attacks while shoveling snow or trying to move heavy tree limbs.” Another man was reportedly killed by a falling tree limb.

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